Queensland farmers call for urgent drought assistance

Queensland farmers say months of hot, dry weather have pushed livestock producers to crisis point with some farmers relying on charity to feed their families. The farm lobby group Agforce says the financial help available is out reach for many farmers, who aren't deemed viable for more loans

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TONY EASTLEY: Queensland's drought-stricken farmers want to see some urgent financial support from government and a broadening of the guidelines on who's eligible for a loan.

The farm lobby group AgForce says the financial help which is available is out of reach for many farmers.

Stephanie Smail reports.

STEPHANIE SMAIL: Darcy Volz has been farming beef cattle and merino sheep near Charleville in south-west Queensland for nearly 35 years. He describes the past 18 months as horrific.

DARCY VOLZ: This drought is the daddy of them all if you like. I know in previous droughts there's always been what I would call a mini-break in there somewhere where it's replenished water supplies and just given us a little bit of a kick along as you go into the next phase, but this has just been constant.

STEPHANIE SMAIL: More than 60 per cent of Queensland is in drought, with four million livestock affected by the harsh conditions.

Ian Burnett from the farm lobby group AgForce says many farmers are under severe financial stress.

IAN BURNETT: Families have relied on food and ongoing living expenses from charities and local communities in some cases.

STEPHANIE SMAIL: There is federal and state funding available for farmers doing it tough.

But Ian Burnett says many are struggling to access options like low interest loans.

IAN BURNETT: In some cases with the decline in value of their properties, the situation is that they've lost equity and are now no longer viewed viable to provide any further assistance to.

STEPHANIE SMAIL: The Federal Agriculture Minister, Barnaby Joyce, says he's aware of the problem and is trying to fix it.

BARNABY JOYCE: The whole reason we make money available is so it can be used. Now if it's unable to be accessed, then I've got to make sure that it can be accessed. I believe that many people are viable, they're just not viable under the current conditions but as soon as it rains again, they will be viable.

STEPHANIE SMAIL: Mr Joyce is also reviewing complaints about access to assistance payments for food and clothes.

Darcy Volz says the Federal Government should also offer to help farmers with interest payments on their growing debt.

DARCY VOLZ: Even if it does rain now, I mean it could be 12 months for some people before they got a saleable article. For some people it may be six months, but the recovery period is going to be fairly long and drawn out.

STEPHANIE SMAIL: Although he's had less than 200 millimetres of rain on his property in the past 20 months, Darcy Volz counts himself lucky.

His stock have access to bore water and he can still afford to feed the animals he has left. But he says it's likely he'll need a financial leg-up sooner rather than later.

DARCY VOLZ: People have been now going for some 18, 20 months and resilience is one thing but to be able to last out any longer, it's a hell of an ask.